Betamax Deck Capstan Problems

[ha1156w]

The direct-drive motor is a glorified stepper motor. Have you checked the part of the circuit that "rotates" among the coils? It could be looking for a missing pulse from the control head that would regulate the servo that tells it "how fast".

[lnx64]

Originally Posted by ha1156w

The direct-drive motor is a glorified stepper motor. Have you checked the part of the circuit that "rotates" among the coils? It could be looking for a missing pulse from the control head that would regulate the servo that tells it "how fast".

I never thought of that! Good idea, I will check that.

[Zenith26kc20]

Look for surface mount electrolytics that have leaked their electrolyte on the motor PC board. These can cause the foil to be eaten away causing many problems. It has been a common problem for a while.
Once repaired, those slim Beta machines are real workhorses!
Also, look for open electrolytics in the power supply.